Four people were shot and wounded Monday during the NBA title celebrations the Toronto Raptors won last week, city police said. Three people were arrested by the authorities, who recovered a pair of firearms.
Scores of people fled in droves after gunfire was heard in the City Hall Square, which was packed with tens of thousands of Raptors supporters. Earlier, around a million people took to the central streets of the city to witness the team’s celebratory parade, raising concerns about the crowding.
Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders said four people were hit by gunfire, none of them risking their lives. Other attendees suffered minor injuries while fleeing the shooting, added Saunders, who requested that witnesses and people who have videos of what happened go to authorities to help in the investigation.
“We do have people arrested for possessing firearms, and this marks the beginning of the investigation,” he said.
Allison Sparkes, a Toronto police spokeswoman, said for her part: “There are no further incidents in progress at the moment. The crowd is dispersing. “
When asked if the shooting constituted a specific attack on someone or perhaps a terrorist attack, Sparkes said an investigation is underway.
During a speech by one of the team’s owners, the event was interrupted. The master of ceremonies reported that the authorities were dealing with an emergency situation and asked the attendees to calm down.
“I want to make sure everyone stays calm,” said ceremony host Matt Devlin, who is a sportscaster. “This is serious. Everyone stay calm… We are dealing with an emergency ”.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Toronto Mayor John Tory and Raptors star Kawhi Leonard were among those on the stand at the time the chaotic situation struck. They all remained in their places and resumed their speeches shortly after.
Andrew Singh, an attendee at the festivities, said he heard gunshots, before people started saying a woman was injured. It was then that the panic spread.
“We saw that a girl fell to the ground and that a guy ran away,” said the 29-year-old. “I just heard, ‘bang, bang, bang!'”
Another attendee, Mike Mudidi, said he heard screams behind him. People started saying that someone had drawn a gun. He said that he was paralyzed as people began to run in all directions.
“I just took the hands of my friends and ran,” said Mudidi, who said he was shocked by the events but denied having suffered any injuries.
At least four baby carriages were left abandoned in the square, suggesting that their parents took the children in their arms and fled. There were also shoes, clothing and bags. An entire intersection between two avenues was cordoned off by the police.
Mayor Tory thanked the police for their quick response, and said he was upset by what happened.
“It’s disappointing, and I feel angry about … someone carrying a gun and opening fire in what was a joyous celebration,” Tory said in a statement. “I hope that those found responsible are held accountable to the extent permitted by law. I want to thank the millions of people who did happily and peacefully celebrate our beloved Toronto Raptors. “
Earlier, Tory had urged everyone in the city to come to celebrate the first Raptors title in history.
Toronto is the largest city in Canada, with a population of 2.9 million. It is considered one of the safest cities in North America. AP